Scars decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, and scarring due to heart bypass surgery, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Board has granted a separate rating for the left knee surgical scar and reopened the right knee disability claim. The case is remanded to obtain an addendum opinion regarding the lumbar spine disability.

A 10 percent rating for a surgical scar associated with lumbar disc disease prior to May 18, 2017 is granted.,A rating in excess of 10 percent for the same condition since May 18, 2017 is denied.,An effective date earlier than August 22, 2016, for SMC at the housebound rate is denied.

The Board has granted retroactive effective dates of November 25, 2013 for the grant of service connection for prostate cancer, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and right foot burn scars.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and initial compensable rating are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for increased ratings for her residual scar from removal of a sebaceous cyst at the right naso-labial line and pain associated with it has been remanded due to inconsistencies in medical evidence and need for further development.,A separate compensable rating of 10 percent, but no higher, is granted for pain associated with the residual scar.

The Veteran's claim to reopen service connection for residuals of a right hand injury was granted, and he is now receiving a 10% rating for dysesthesia and separate 10% ratings for two painful scars on his right hand.

The Veteran's left eye corneal scar is rated at 10 percent, and his chronic headache disorder remains noncompensable. The TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion and requesting tax returns from the Veteran. The issues of service connection for herniated cervical disc, earlier effective date for lumbar spine w/ bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, neck, hearing loss, tinnitus and basal cell carcinoma scar, and entitlement to TDIU are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim is remanded for additional examinations to determine the current severity of his left wrist and shoulder disabilities, as well as for clarification on his work history.

The Board has granted service connection for throat cancer. The claims of secondary service connection for various conditions are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not result in loss of use of a lower extremity, blindness, or full thickness burns. Therefore, he is not eligible for financial assistance for specially adapted housing.

The Veteran's left eye scar is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted.,For his service-connected right wrist disability, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD), and back disability, additional evidence is needed as the current VA examinations are inadequate.

The Veteran's scar on the head is granted service connection.,Service connection for a lumbar spine disability is granted, but no increased rating is granted.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to a lack of opinions regarding service connection and an inability to schedule VA examinations.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied. The Board found that prior to August 6, 2014, the Veteran did not meet the schedular rating requirements for TDIU and there was no evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's lumbar spine scar is rated under DC 7805. The most probative evidence of record establishes that the Veteran's lumbar spine scar is neither unstable nor painful, as is required for a compensable rating under DC 7804. As indicated above, there is no basis for a higher rating under any of the other potentially applicable DCs.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination to determine if the veteran's current GERD, right knee patellar dislocation, and residuals of right knee surgery are related to her period of basic training in 1980.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 9, 2014.

The Board has found that the requested VA treatment records have been obtained and the VA examination provided the requested information. The Veteran's claims for increased ratings are remanded due to inadequate examinations.